Gov. Wolf should allow Realtors to earn a living

Across Pennsylvania, consumers are being denied the basic ability to obtain shelter. Gov. Tom Wolf has deemed real estate a nonlife-sustaining business, which has caused a significant hardship. We were shocked to see the governor continue to fail to recognize the need for consumers to buy and sell their homes. The phased reopening of the state still restricts more than half of Pennsylvanians from buying or selling a home and creates chaos in the real estate marketplace.

Real estate services are being conducted safely in nearly every state, yet Pennsylvanians are being denied the ability to purchase shelter where they want to live. Bordering states have adopted safe procedures to ensure people can work with real estate professionals to buy and sell property.

In coordination with the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, the Reading-Berks Association of Realtors has been advocating to make real estate a life-sustaining business. Real estate professionals can safely conduct business for their clients.

Two bills have been introduced that would allow real estate to reopen across the state with proper safety procedures. We commend legislators who recognize that real estate is a necessity. We are not suggesting a return to business as usual. The environment has changed, and real estate professionals are ready to adapt to protect the health and safety of clients, ourselves and the public.

Every Pennsylvania Realtor has stories of clients who have endured hardships because of the shutdown. The governor needs to immediately reopen real estate on a statewide basis.

—Angela Tolosky,